What 4ET1/03 (Component 3) assesses
The coursework route, covering the same texts as Component 2. There are two assignments, each worth 30 marks: Assignment A on a modern drama text and Assignment B on a literary heritage text.
Assignments are set and assessed by the centre (teacher-devised or self-generated) and externally moderated by Pearson. There is no fixed duration.
- Marks: 60
- Weight: 40% of Pearson Edexcel 4ET1 (Specification, Issue 3 (August 2025))
- How it is assessed: Internal (coursework, internally assessed and externally moderated by Pearson)
- Who takes it: Coursework route (instead of Component 2)
4ET1/03 (Component 3) is worth 40% of the 4ET1 grade and carries 60 marks. Each mark moves the qualification by about 0.67%. The qualification is graded 9–1.
What the examiners reward in 4ET1/03 (Component 3)
Reading
- AO1: Demonstrate a close knowledge and understanding of texts, maintaining a critical style and presenting an informed personal engagement
This is one of the objectives. The 4ET1 overview lists the full set.
How the routes work in 4ET1
Every candidate sits Component 1 (60%). For the remaining 40% they follow either the exam route (Component 2) or the coursework route (Component 3). These two routes are alternatives that cover the same content.
Preparing for Pearson Edexcel 4ET1/03 (Component 3)? The paid trial hour can start with a timed look at that paper.
Question types we practise for 4ET1/03 (Component 3)
- Prose essay: Writing about character, theme and narrative in prose. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
- Drama essay: Writing about how a play makes meaning in performance. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
- Literature essay structure: Structuring a clear, arguable literature essay. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
Where marks are lost on 4ET1/03 (Component 3)
Writing a literature essay introduction: A plot-summary opening. The first paragraph retells a story the examiner knows. Read the full guide.
Using PEE and PETAL with embedded quotations: The bolt-on quotation. "This is shown when the writer says '...'" sits outside the sentence and sounds mechanical. Read the full guide.
Preparing for 4ET1/03 (Component 3) with us
4ET1/03 (Component 3) is marked in school. A teacher builds the skills its tasks reward and gives feedback on drafts. The final work stays the student's own, as the board requires.
See Literature in English tuition for how a session runs. 4ET1/03 (Component 3) is one component of Pearson Edexcel 4ET1, graded on the 9–1 scale. Check the current arrangement for your exam year with your school or the board.